Gladson Awako attributes Hearts of Oak’s poor form last season to Slavko Matic’s exit

Hearts of Oak’s captain, Gladson Awako, has attributed the club’s dismal performance in the previous season to the abrupt departure of Serbian coach Slavko Matic. The Phobians began the campaign under the guidance of league-winning coach Samuel Boadu but made a change after the first few matches, replacing Boadu with Matic.

Regrettably, Matic’s tenure was short-lived as he was relieved of his post following Hearts of Oak’s 1-0 defeat to Great Olympics in a league game. Supporters took matters into their own hands and forcefully removed him from the club’s training grounds.

Subsequently, David Ocloo was named as the interim coach to steer the team. Under Ocloo’s guidance, Hearts of Oak finished the season in a disappointing 12th place, losing four of their last five matches and drawing one, narrowly escaping relegation on the final day of the league season against Berekum Chelsea.

In a candid conversation with Akoma FM, Awako expressed his frustration with the frequent changes in coaching staff, emphasizing the negative impact it had on the team’s performance.

Awako emphasized the importance of giving coaches sufficient time to implement their strategies and produce desired results, stating that expecting immediate magic or instant success after appointing a new coach is unrealistic.

He further pointed out that Slavko Matic’s departure had a particularly significant effect on the team’s performance. Under his guidance, the team had shown signs of improvement, moving up to the 3rd position before he left. However, with his departure, the team’s performance suffered, and they ended the season on a disappointing note.

“Too many changes in coaching impacted negatively on our performance last season. We started with Samuel Boadu, then later Matic who didn’t last long, followed by David Ocloo. All these coaches had different philosophies which warranted time for players to adapt and this affected our performance”

“We were improving under Matic, it was just unfortunate that he left, David Ocloo tried his best but because the pressure was too much it couldn’t work”

“Coaches needs time, you can’t appoint them and expect magic or instant results, so I feel the changes at the technical side and injuries affected our performance”

“Yes, the departure of Slavko Matic really affected us and it didn’t help at all. Before Matic we were at the 12th position but we moved to the 3rd position with him in charge and now see where we ended the season”

The constant changes in the coaching staff and injuries to players further compounded Hearts of Oak’s struggles during the season.

Awako’s remarks underscore the significance of stability and patience in the coaching setup to enable players to adapt and deliver consistent performances.